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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23520091">The Sharp Knife Of A Short Life</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrSpider945/pseuds/MrSpider945'>MrSpider945</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Modern Stuff - Six: The Musical [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Six - Marlow/Moss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, this one h u r t s y'all</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:08:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,931</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23520091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrSpider945/pseuds/MrSpider945</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Families argue, that much we know- but when it's the gentlest of them shouting, it always takes a while for a family to recover.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Modern Stuff - Six: The Musical [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1352503</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>111</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. “But He Loved You,” Over And Over, “He Loved You.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title Inspiration- Burned Out by Dodie</p>
<p>happy birthday you bad bitch i missed you so much (https://archiveofourown.org/works/18649018/chapters/44225524 )<br/>and also special thank you to @lailaliquorice for reading over this with me and being an actual angel with me asking for feedback, and @ichlugebulletsandcornnuts and @the-quiet-winds (on tumblr) who were the first ones to read the one linked above- i really hope you two like this one</p>
<p>Trigger Warnings- Far more cursing than usual, mentions of abuse, denial of abuse, argument and shouting</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Well, you can’t really blame us for having trouble connecting when the only thing we all knew for sure that we had in common is that the same guy fell in love with us over five centuries ago.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And there it was. The smoking gun that had Kath clench her fists and glare at the floor in front of her feet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The six of them were hanging out in the living room after the last show of the week, and somehow, the topic had turned into how they interacted early into the show’s production period.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It was all so </span>
  <em>
    <span>awkward</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Kath let out a slightly forced chuckle at Anna’s groan- this topic was never one of her favorites to discuss, but she’d be fine so long as the topic moved on quickly enough.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But then Aragon spoke up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you can’t really blame us for having trouble connecting when the only thing we all knew for sure that we had in common is that the same guy fell in love with us over five centuries ago.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That line. That </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking</span>
  </em>
  <span> line.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t that she hadn’t heard it before- she had to hear it every time they performed a show. Still, the way it was phrased… she didn’t know exactly what about it bothered her, but jesus </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> did she hate it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She let out a bitter chuckle, still not looking up. “Yeah, right, </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She mumbled out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Within moments she felt everyone’s gazes on her. She tensed just a bit, then looked up. “What?” She asked, perhaps more forcefully than needed. “I’m not wrong!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Katherine,” Catherine began, using a firm tone usually reserved for Anne and, more rarely, Anna, that usually had Kath swallowing dryly as memories of dark hallways with cracked walls and harsh, low, </span>
  <em>
    <span>threatening</span>
  </em>
  <span> voices clouded her mind, but this time barely got more than a flinch, “what do you mean by that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kath stared at her incredulously, then let out a disbelieving laugh. “Catherine, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>seriously</span>
  </em>
  <span> believe the fucker loved us, do you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This had the other queens shocked, but Kath, instead of her usual gentle “are you alright?”s, simply raised an eyebrow. “Why’re you looking at me like that? It’s true!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Katherine.” Parr spoke up, staring at her with a calm sternness to her tone. “I think you need to calm down.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think </span>
  <em>
    <span>you lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> need to stop treating me like a child!” She finally shouted, shooting to stand up. Everyone else was frozen in place, as if Kath’s shout had sent a wave of energy through the room that had paralyzed them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He didn’t love us.” She growled out sharply, turning to look at Aragon with a steely glare seldom seen in her eyes. “Like, Aragon, really? He married you because he needed the alliance with Spain. Don’t forget that your marriage with Arthur was also arranged. It was a political alliance, little more than that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Katherine watched as Catherine of Aragon, the queen that usually carried herself the tallest, all but shrunk into herself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Good, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought, biting back a smirk. “And also, what kind of fucker throws someone away after 24 years of being married to them? Not to fucking mention the way, or better yet </span>
  <em>
    <span>ways</span>
  </em>
  <span> he exiled you and separated you and Mary, because then we’ll be here all fucking day.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After one last, silent look exchange in between the eldest and youngest queens, Katherine turned to look at her cousin, who was staring back at her silently, almost as if studying her. “And Boleyn, holy </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> where do I begin with you? I mean, in between suppressing your opinions, the gaslighting, the arguments that frankly are a common factor to all of us but were especially bad with you because you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dared</span>
  </em>
  <span>-” she did sarcastic air quotes there, emphasizing the word- “to have your own opinions and voice them, and, you know, fucking </span>
  <b>beheading you</b>
  <span>, I don’t think I really need to explain why what he did was abuse.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a huff, she turned to face Seymour, who spoke before Katherine herself had the chance to. “Don’t. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> love m-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fucking hell, open your </span>
  <b>fucking eyes, Seymour!</b>
  <span>” Katherine roared, her voice echoing across the otherwise silent living room as she glared daggers at her frien- her </span>
  <span><em>band mate</em>. “He didn’t give a </span>
  <b>fuck</b>
  <span> about you until Edward was born. You went through the exact same shit that Boleyn did, but the difference is, you kept your head because you kept it low. Had Edward been a girl, I really doubt you’d still be known as ‘the only one he truly loved’.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two maintained eye contact for a while longer, Seymour’s eyes disbelieving while Katherine’s blazing, before the latter turned to look at Cleves, both glaring at each other with a steely gaze, as if they were mortal enemies and not people with a friendship lasting across multiple lifetimes. “And god, Cleves, please don’t tell me you think the fucker that publicly humiliated you by divorcing you because of something like your fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>looks</span>
  </em>
  <span> after making you come over from a foreign country to another you knew nothing about </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I trust you to be smarter than that”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She immediately moved onto Parr, but was once again cut off. “That is </span>
  <em>
    <span>enough, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Howard.” Parr’s calm but stern tone was enough to at least make Katherine slow down. “You’ve said enough. I think it’s time you calm down now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Katherine stared at her incredulously, mouth slightly agape, before chuckling as she ran a hand through her hair. “God, Parr, I thought out of all of us, at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> would be willing to fucking listen to me for once.” She clenched her fists, ignoring the sting of her nails digging into her skin. “I mean, c’mon. You only married him because you’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>die</span>
  </em>
  <span> otherwise. At most, he wanted someone to entertain him. And don’t even get me started on the fact that he near-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>HOWARD</b>
  <span>!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The shout, coming from the usually calmest and, most importantly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>quietest </span>
  </em>
  <span>queen, had all of them freezing up, Katherine included. She felt as if, all of a sudden, what she’d said throughout the evening had hit her, and when her brain processed what she had been about to say, she understood </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> why Parr was glaring at her, seething with a rage none of them had ever seen from her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She took a deep breath, then huffed softly, swallowing the lump in her throat that she’d learned to recognize as a telltale sign of crying coming. “And considering I sing about it every night, I really doubt I need to explain that what he felt for me was anything more than lust.” She growled out, a low and rough sound, a distinct contrast to the girl’s usually high pitched and cheerful voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So-” She cut herself off when she felt that same lump forming again, glaring sharply at the other queens. “So don’t tell me he loved us. Either you stayed quiet, looked pretty, and gave birth to a boy, or you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span> to him. And </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> isn’t love.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She gave one last look at the others, then spun around in her heels and walked out of the living room, storming up to her room and slamming the door behind her. As soon as the door was closed though, she flopped onto her bed, clinging onto her pillow as the tears and sobs she’d fought so hard to keep back finally started to make their way out of her body, exhausting her until she fell asleep.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. I Craft My Words to Fit Your Head, Cause No One Listens To The Dead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Title Inspiration- Monster by Dodie</p><p>S U P suckers, we're back!! sorry this took so long, i planned to post it on april 10th since that would be the one year anniversary of the original one, but obviously that didn't happen. regardless, here it is, i hope you like it!!!</p><p>Trigger Warnings- discussion of abuse, discussion of sexual abuse</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>To be fair, Kath had a point.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was because of that that Anne hadn’t said a word during her cousin’s rant last night- unlike Jane, who seemed to believe, at least to a certain extent, that Henry truly loved her (something that pissed her off </span>
  <em>
    <span>royally</span>
  </em>
  <span>), she had enough common sense to realize that, in between the beheading and emotional abuse and everything else that had happened, he didn’t love her. And she had assumed it hadn’t been all that much better for her fellow queens.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So truthfully, Anne didn’t disagree with her cousin’s point of view. What she did disagree with, at least to a certain extent, was the way she has spoken to everyone else. But truthfully, she couldn’t be mad at her for it. Well, really she was mad, but she was also rational enough to know </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> why false promises of love and denial of abuse had her as fired up as she had gotten.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That didn’t mean, however, that the tense atmosphere of the house didn’t have her feeling absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>awful</span>
  </em>
  <span>. As well as her cousin’s absence well after the time she would usually be down, even on days off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Regardless, she forced herself to finish her breakfast before moving to the living room. She grimaced slightly when she saw she wouldn’t be alone, forcing herself to swallow it down when she saw who it was- Aragon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>On careful footsteps, she walked over to the couch, where the first queen was sitting, staring blankly at her book- if Anne was being honest with herself, she didn’t think she was taking in any of the words on the page. She sat down beside her at a comfortable distance, wincing with a sheepish smile when her band mate startled at the sudden company.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.” She spoke softly, maintaining that same awkward smile. “Didn’t mean to scare you. You alright?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course.” Anne had to hold back an eye roll at the way Catherine straightened up as she hurriedly replied, watching as she went back to looking at her book.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know that’s not what I mean.” Anne insisted, and had to bite back a slight smirk at Catherine finally looking her in the eyes. “I mean, about yesterday. We were all shaken up about it, and I could tell you were too. I’m not </span>
  <em>
    <span>blind</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and like it or not, I’ve known you since last time as well- I know how you act.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catherine glared at her, then shifted her gaze back towards her book, much to Anne’s annoyance. “I’m fine. And if I weren’t, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> certainly wouldn’t be the one I would go to for help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She huffed softly at that, then shrugged as she stood up. “Well, if you need me, I’ll be in my room.” She promised, voice oddly gentle when it came to who she was talking to. Then she made her way upstairs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or, well, tried to. Because she was halted halfway up when her eyes met familiar brown ones. Anne met her cousin’s gaze calmly, noting with a soft concern how dazed her eyes looked, then looked away as the two went their separate ways.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, she couldn’t resist looking back as she reached the top of the stairs, watching silently as Kath turned the corner.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was far later, sometime after the other queens had gone to bed, in yet another night where Anne’s insomnia had decided to act up and she found herself nursing a cup of tea at the kitchen table, when Anne heard movement- a door opening, followed by near silent footsteps heading down the stairs. She stayed dead silent as she listened, waiting to see what whoever it was would do, then froze as Kath appeared in the doorway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two met each other’s gaze silently, before Anne decided to break it. “Hey.” She greeted simply, though not unkindly, as she motioned for Kath to join her, something Kath seemed to do near instantly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Couldn’t sleep?” Anne nodded in response, and she couldn’t help a smile as Kath laid her head on her folded arms. “Me either.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence once again settled on the room, and Anne watched as her cousin’s knee began bouncing- an old habit she’d never actually broken. She couldn’t help but let it linger for a bit longer, then finally spoke, ignoring the shakiness to her voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You weren’t…” She hesitated, but Kitty’s curious gaze let her know she would probably have to finish her sentence. “You weren’t the only one he, forced himself onto.” She watched as her cousin’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, then as her face fell as it hit her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” She said simply, a rueful smile gracing her features. “I mean, I always knew that, and the beheading, were abuse, I guess. I’m not stupid, even if I act like it. But uh, the rest… I dunno, I guess it just never hit me that it… wasn’t my fault, you know?” She sighed softly, then turned to fully look at Kitty, who was watching her intently. “I guess, what I’m trying to say is that like, you putting it like that… Well, the shouting and shit was uncalled for, really, but I get why you were mad, and it </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> help me understand that. So, thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anne bit the inside of her lip as Kitty stared at her for a few moments, then almost stumbled off her chair as her cousin all but flung herself into her arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, she caught her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled Kitty tight against her, letting the girl bury her face in her shoulder and stay in her arms for as long as she needed to. She let go only when she started to pull back, sitting down and fixing the few stray hairs that had flew onto her face. “I’m sorry you ever had to go through all of that.” Kitty finally murmured, and Anne had to swallow dryly to keep a knot from forming in her throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence fell again, but softer this time- warmer. Or at least it did until Kath spoke up once again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Annie?” Anne turned to face her cousin, tipping her head ever so slightly to the side as she gave her a questioning look. “Why… do you act like what happened to you wasn’t a big deal?” She froze at the quiet question, forcing her body to relax immediately after.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got a reputation, kid. Gotta say what keeps it.” She replied with a shrug, avoiding the frown her cousin was giving her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s not all of it and we both know that.” Anne bit back a frown as Kitty’s soft tone turned steady, almost sharp. “Anne, you realize we </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> have facades, right? I’m not blind, and I’m certainly not stupid. Catherine’s not as high and mighty as she acts, Cat- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Parr</span>
  </em>
  <span>-” She said her name with a forced formality, a hint of hurt in her tone- “cares a hell of a lot more than she acts like she does. And I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> do too. You’re smart too- I know I’m just telling you stuff you already know. But </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span> do you keep acting like you’re just a goofball? An- And why do you act like what happened to you wasn’t a big deal?” Anne tensed up just slightly as Kitty began moving her hands about, forcing her body to relax near immediately after as her cousin turned to face her with an inquisitive gaze, as if examining her (and if Anne were being honest, she wouldn’t be surprised if that were exactly the case).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She held Kitty’s gaze silently for a few moments, before shrugging as she looked away. “Someone’s gotta be the fun one. ‘S not like being anything else got me far last time.” She kept staring straight at the table, even as she heard a soft “Annie…” from her side, or a hand squeeze hers, a gesture she weakly returned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘M sorry. I shouldn’t have pressed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry ‘bout it. I know I don’t make much sense.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You still deserve your privacy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You and I both know I’m too stubborn to ever do something I don’t actually want to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She heard a soft, fond chuckle from beside her, eliciting a soft smile from herself as she stood up, turning to face a confused-looking Kath. Then she opened her arms, her smile turning ever so slightly awkward before Kitty all but flung herself into her arms. She pulled her cousin even tighter against herself, pressing a feather-light kiss to her temple in harsh contrast to her tight hold. “I love you.” She whispered into Kitty’s hair, barely even a breath with how quiet it was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She felt Kitty perk up at the quiet words, and for a moment she was worried she’d overstepped, but then Kitty buried her nose in the crook her neck, and Anne couldn’t resist mimicking her actions, letting out a tiny chuckle at the soft “love you too” that her cousin mumbled into her skin, just below the choker that covered up her scar.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pair stayed like that for a while- whether a few seconds or a few minutes, Anne wasn’t sure. The warm silence that had settled in around them was cut, however, by a slightly muffled yawn from Kitty. Anne pulled away just enough to look at her cousin, unable to hold back an amused smile. “Maybe you should head on upstairs, Kitty.”</span>
  <span></span><br/>

  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Kitty nodded with another yawn, and Anne let out a soft chuckle, more of an amused exhale, before kissing her hairline. “Go get some rest. Oh, and, tonight stays between us, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kitty gave her an amused smirk, and Anne’s own smile faded just a bit at just how much like herself she looked in that moment, before linking pinkies with her cousin. “Pinky promise with a cherry on top.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anne watched as her cousin left, before chuckling softly as she grabbed her basically empty mug to go clean it before she headed to bed, letting out a yawn of her own.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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